The International Space Station (ISS) stays in orbit because it moves at the right speed and in a stable orbit. The ISS moves at 27,600 km/h, which provides centripetal force that counteracts the force of gravity. The ISS also moves in a circle around Earth at the right speed. The centrifugal force pushing it away is exactly the same as the force of gravity pulling it in. This balance is called a stable orbit.
The ISS circles the Earth in roughly 93 minutes, completing 15.5 orbits per day. The ISS is accelerated, and thus it is a non-inertial frame of reference. As the ISS is accelerated towards the earth, the pseudo force will be act in the direction away from the earth. This pseudo force cancels the gravitational force acting on the objects inside the ISS.
If those boosts stop or something else goes wrong, the ISS will fall
Why can a astronaut in space float without falling
Astronauts float in space because they are in free fall. In a vacuum, gravity causes all objects to fall at the same rate. The mass of the object does not matter.
Astronauts are so far from Earth that gravity is so small. NASA calls this microgravity. In microgravity, people feel so little gravity they are practically weightless.
Astronauts are orbiting Earth in constant free fall. They’re falling toward Earth and moving forward at about the same velocity. The space station is moving at the right speed so that the curve of its fall matches the curve of the earth
What happens when a astronaut floats in space
If an astronaut floats away from their spaceship, they’ll orbit Earth until they run out of oxygen or debris hits them. They could also collide with Earth’s atmosphere and burn up.
Without a spacesuit, an astronaut would die from asphyxiation. Their blood only contains enough oxygen for about 15 seconds of brain activity. They would black out and die within three minutes.
The environment of space is lethal without protection. The lack of oxygen and pressure are the greatest threats, but temperature and radiation also pose risks. Exposure to space can result in: Ebullism, Hypoxia, Hypocapnia, Decompression sickness.
NASA has protocols for these situations. Spacewalking astronauts must use tethers and sometimes additional anchors. If a device breaks down, astronauts can put on emergency jet packs called safer.
Can an astronaut swim in space
Astronauts can’t swim in space because there’s nothing for their arms to push against. Space is a vacuum, so there’s no air or water. To move, they’d need to provide thrust of some kind.
However, astronauts can propel themselves in any direction using only the slightest of pushes. They can swim through the air, which behaves like a fluid.
Astronaut candidates must pass a swimming test during their first month of training. They must swim 3 lengths of a 25M pool in a flight suit and tennis shoes. The strokes allowed are freestyle, breast, and sidestroke. There is no time limit.
Astronauts also train in water. They often do scuba dives in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab to get to know the environment they’re gonna be working in and around the International Space Station
How do astronauts get water in space
Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) get their drinking water by recycling it. They recycle water from:
- Sweat
- Breath
- Urine
- Runoff from sinks and showers
The ISS has a complex water system that collects condensation from the walls. The system also captures moisture and distills urine. NASA says that astronauts can recover 98% of the water they take into space.
The ISS also relies on shipments of water from Earth. Each astronaut uses about 4.4 liters of water per day. Most of that is used for drinking or rehydrating food. Only 0.5 liters are used for personal hygiene.
The water that astronauts drink is cleaner than what we drink on Earth. NASA says that they have processes in place to ensure that they are producing clean, potable water
What makes the ISS stay in orbit as it falls due to gravity is the forward momentum. This forward momentum is very fast, 17,500 miles per hour, and so as it falls it misses the Earth and goes around
How long can a human stay on the space station?
Expedition crews selected for a stay onboard the space station are carefully chosen, trained, and supported to ensure they will be able to work effectively as a team for the duration of their six to 12-month missions.
Can the space station be seen from Earth?
It perhaps comes as no surprise that it’s easy to see and track the ISS from Earth. The colossal structure reflects sunlight and appears as a bright white pinpoint of light in the sky
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